It’s JUNE, Tháng 6. Contributor Julie Nguyễn offers a critical recap of June 2011 news and events in the general interest of a Vietnamese American. She most likely missed a few things, Vietnamese and not, so if you come across something you think should be shared with the readers, please send them to Julie via this email: ngujle [at] gmail [dot] com.
[Before we begin: have you heard about our subscriber drive? Win an iPod and other prizes!]
THE NEWS:
Michelle Le’s family isn’t giving up hope. It’s been a month since she was last seen and though the police have classified her case as a homicide, her family continues the search.
Visit this website for more information.
Remember Oscar Grant
Oscar Grant’s killer went free after serving 11 months in prison for shooting an unarmed black man in the back.
Remember Vincent Chin
The murder of Vincent Chin is one of the touchstones of Asian American history. He was racially targeted and beaten to death, and the murderers got 3 years of probation and a measly fine of 3000$. They didn’t spend a single night in jail. These murderers are living free among us today.
The documentary Vincent Who? has been made available for free viewing through June and July by its producers, view it here.
On June 3rd, Annie Le’s murderer was sentenced to 44 years in prison.
In Georgia, 22-year old Davis Do was beaten to unconsciousness outside of a bar. Five men have been arrested in this case.
And in San Jose, recent high school graduate Vincent Tran Le was stabbed to death during a gang altercation. Also in San Jose, a settlement was reached between the city and the victim of a police beating.
In San Diego, Philong Huynh was convicted of rape-murder.
And overseas, the Vietnamese have been protesting against the Chinese government over the ownership of the Spratly Islands (a contested area) and the breach of borders. These protests were taken up by Seattle’s Vietnamese community. Read more.
IN THE ARTS:
Gene Luen Yang’s and Thien Pham’s book Level Up on sale now! How do you decide what to do with your life? It’s video games vs. med school.
Yang’s website.
Pham’s blog.
Construction begins on the Vietnamese Heritage Garden in San Jose, the first of it’s kind. A Community Celebration Day is to be scheduled on August 6, 2011 to introduce the garden to the local community. Definitely waiting to hear more about this!
Congratulations to four students from Philadelphia, Wei Chen, Bach Tong, Duong Nghe Le and Xu Lin, who are among 15 awardees of the Public Interest Project’s Freedom From Fear Award for their work on the campaign to stop violence against Asian students at South Philadelphia High School. I am so humbled by these students. Read more.
FURTHER:
My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant, by Jose Antonio Vargas. This journalist admits his undocumented status on the New York Times. He writes a powerful piece, detailing the uphill battles that an immigrant faces and the non-rewards that come for winning those battles.
And finally, congratulations to all couples in NY! Gay marriage legal in New York State after Senate passes historic bill 33-29. Keep fighting!
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Julie Nguyễn likes toads a lot but only eats vegetables. She’s currently out in the sun in NYC.
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